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Weldors just love to brag, talk shit, criticize and grandstand. Set them up with catchy names, fancy leathers and scary lids and let them go on bitter rants against their rivals before and after matches.
Welding itself is an intricate craft with many processes, settings, positions, materials, techniques,
inspection procedures etc. It doesn't lend itself to spectation in real life but with cameras and filters it could make interesting TV.
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Explain the "sport" aspect of it more. |
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What kind of competitions do you envisage? |
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- each competitor has a pile of 100 bits, they have to attach them all together, the first to do so wins? |
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- Each competitor stands beside a rail, the stopwatch counts down 3 minutes, the longest continuous weld line wins? |
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Perhaps 3 contestants in adjacent workshops each receive identical jobs, the materials for completion all being in each workshop. Cameras might record material selection and prep, technique, safety concerns and final product quality. |
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Basic weld tests such as fillet and groove welds in each of flat, horizontal, vertical, and overhead positions are judged on a pass/fail basis on various criteria such as appearance, x-ray inspection, and bend testing. These tests might work as qualifying rounds but in a competition between skilled weldors the judging would be very subjective. Fortunately, more challenging events can be created, especially if welding-adjacent tasks such as cutting are included. |
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Oxy-acetylene severance races would be a nice combo of skill and strategy. Each person gets an identical torch, all running off the same oxygen and fuel pressures, and identical pieces of plate to cut in two. Go slow and ensure severance, or go fast and try to break off minor bridges later. Other oxy-fuel events might be freehand straight-line or circle cutting... straightness or cicularity determined by mathematical algorithm. |
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Oxygen lance cutting would have appeal, just for being obscure and extreme. The longest cut through 6 inch steel plate, using just one lance... |
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More challenging weld tests could be stick welding an airtight box of a difficult material e.g. aluminum. Leaks are guaranteed. Show off esoteric vacuum pumps and leak-detection technology. Or do ultimate tensile testing on welds done on super rusty pieces (no weld prep allowed) |
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Joke events could be fun too.. downhand, blindfolded, welding the backside of something viewed in a mirror, something involving cigarettes... |
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I like any activity that makes kids look at productive activities as interesting and fun. |
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